The capital of the USA and New York
Washington D.C. (the District of Columbia) is the capital city of the United States, named after the first president, George Washington. It has the 10th largest population in the country.
The city was laid out by the French architect Pierre L´Enfent in the late 18th century. It was the first city in the world especially planned and built as the capital and the centre of the government. In the city, along the Potomac River, there are the most important buildings in the USA - the White House - the residence of the American President, the Capitol - the seat of the congress, the Pentagon - the centre of military forces and also the Library of Congress, the US national library.
Washington is home to several important international organisations, including the World Bank and the Organisation of American States. There is also a large airport and Georgetown University.
There are no factories and industry in Washington and that is why the city seems so clean and nice.
New York, or "The Big Apple" as it is fondly called, is the largest city in the US. The Big Apple is a symbol that captures the feeling of a city that is very big and very busy.
NY was founded by British merchant sailors who settled there in the 16th century and called New Amsterdam.
This town is famous for its skyscrapers too. The Manhattan skyline includes the Empire State Building, the World Trade Centre and others.
There are many interesting places to visit in NY. The most famous site in the city is the Statue of Liberty. It is a symbol of freedom and of the United States itself.